


Generally Captivated

by RockSaltAndRoll, Shortsighted_Owl



Series: Teenage Kylux [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Captive Hux, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jedi Ben Solo, M/M, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Time Skips, Universe Alteration, sex in future chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-15 00:26:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7197866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockSaltAndRoll/pseuds/RockSaltAndRoll, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortsighted_Owl/pseuds/Shortsighted_Owl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Solo turns his back on Luke Skywalker and the Jedi temple in search of a new teacher - somebody who isn't afraid to help Ben reach his full potential and fuels his desire for power. Reinventing himself and changing his name to Kylo, he finds a new teacher in Supreme Leader Snoke who, in return for knowledge and power, wishes him to learn about his organisation and gain a foothold inside the First Order so that he will be ready to lead Snoke's knights. </p><p>He is paired with the First Order's star Cadet - a ruthless red-haired young soldier who hates Kylo on sight. The thing with putting two lonely, power hungry boys together is that they'll either destroy each other or come to accept their differences. Kylo and Hux grow closer over time, trying to hide their relationship from their superiors until the day where Kylo is faced with an impossible choice.</p><p>Fifteen years later, Hux finds himself a captive of the Resistance and once again brought face to face with Kylo Ren. The Resistance are determined to put Hux on trial for war crimes and the reformed Ben Solo is yet again faced with a choice between Hux and the rest of the Galaxy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Year 31 AE (After Endor)**

 

He made an imposing figure for a man of such slight a build: the black of his impeccable uniform seemed to almost shimmer under the lights of the various monitors on the bridge; reflecting blue and red and yellow as he walked; back straight; hands lightly clasped behind it. Bright hair was slicked back severely; highlighting the sharpness of his features; the almond shape of his eyes and the paleness of his skin.

If this had been any other organisation - any other ship, even - the skeleton crew of officers on the bridge may have been perturbed at the presence of their commander at two in the morning; but this was the Finalizer and it had been common knowledge for many years that General Hux never slept more than four hours a night. He never seemed to show any signs of exhaustion; throwing himself instead into work with an unrivalled discipline. They were all used to it now.

The eyes of a young First Order Lieutenant shifted from her monitor as the General passed her station; her brow furrowed as she watched him; unsure if she should speak. Sensing that he was being watched; General Hux’s head turned and his green eyes locked onto the Lieutenant’s, causing her to jump in shock.

“Is there anything amiss, Lieutenant?” asked Hux, quietly; eyebrows raised.

The young officer shifted in her seat; glancing at her monitor again before replying.

“I’m not sure, General,” she admitted. “I’m picking up some interference but...it may just be our proximity to the sun.”

Hux held her gaze for a few seconds before calmly making his way to her station.

The Finalizer was in a quiet system; cruising just outside of the Sun’s pull of gravity. Hux had chosen their position carefully; their proximity to the sun being enough to deter most enemy crafts from taking the battlecruiser unawares – it would be suicide for large ships to drop out of hyperspace too close to a sun, meaning that the Finalizer’s crew would have plenty of time to act should enemy craft appear. The Resistance were getting cleverer with regards to their surprise assaults and the First Order commanders had needed to adjust their strategies accordingly.

Peering over the young Lieutenant’s shoulder, Hux’s green eyes scanned the monitor; taking in the images of projected sound waves on the screen. It was immediately clear that his officer was correct – sharp spikes indicated some sound interference and Hux watched them for a moment; following their movement. After a while, Hux straightened.

“I agree,” he murmured. “It looks to be solar interference. Keep an eye on it, Lieutenant – let me know if it increases.”

“Yes, General,” the young officer replied with a sigh of relief.

She was barely out of the Academy by the looks of her, Hux thought. Eighteen years old; on her first tour, and given the responsibility of Bridge Officer. Hux was impressed at the Lieutenant’s honesty and also her ability to pick up and identify that small amount of chatter. Most would probably just have ignored it.

Moving away, Hux slowly walked up the centre of the bridge. He liked this time of the morning, when most of the ship was sleeping. It was quiet; almost peaceful – a slumbering ship in the silence of space. This had always been his favourite time to be awake. Once, many years ago, these early hours on the morning had held a different significance; an excitement that his teenage self had revelled in – the perfect cadet disobeying orders and stealing away from his quarters; sneaking behind the Commandant’s back...

Closing his eyes, Hux shook away the memory; unsure why he’d thought of it in the first place. Perhaps in the quiet and stillness, his mind was more susceptible to the influences of his past. It was better to banish it; to bury himself in work as he had done for many years now.

He heard a shout as he turned with intention of seeking out his own workstation. The young Lieutenant from moments before was standing, calling out to him; her face white as a sheet. The lights dimmed for a second and the ground beneath their feet shuddered as the ship’s engines cut out; generators kicking in with a whir as it went to auxiliary power. Seconds later, the Finalizer listed to port as the sound of an explosion in the belly of the ship reached Hux’s ears.

Hux knew immediately what had happened as warning sirens blared all around him. The sun hadn’t been enough protection from the X-Wings that had dropped out of hyperspace right in front of them; their smaller mass protecting them from the gravitational pull and allowing them to tear a hole in the Finalizer’s port side.

“Damage report!” Hux yelled over the deafening blare of the sirens.

“Port side hull breached, General!”

“What happened to the shields?” he asked.

“Down, sir – unresponsive. They must have knocked them out.”

“Fires in two lower decks, General!” came a second shout. “Compartments twenty three through to fifty six, and spreading!”

Hux made a grab for his data pad as he sped past his station; swiftly pulling up the information.

“Close the bulkheads in twenty one and fifty eight, then vent the oxygen in the affected compartments,” he replied.

Several of the officers stared at him in horror.

“But General,” one to his right said in a shaky voice. “There are over a hundred people trapped in those compartments...”

“And if those fires spread much further they’ll hit the fuel tanks, causing the deaths of everyone on this ship,” Hux replied, briskly. “Close the bulkheads and vent the oxygen.”

It sounded callous and Hux knew it; but he also knew he was right – the loss of one hundred First Order crew was lamentable, but the loss of over a thousand was catastrophic. It was his job to make sure as many of his people got out of this alive and if it meant sacrificing a hundred for the greater good, then so be it. General Hux was not a sentimental man – he was a soldier and a commander, and he was damn good at it.

With shaking hands, they performed their duties while Hux’s mind was already moving forward. Where there were X-Wings, there was sure to follow a larger ship with a heavier arsenal jumping into orbit soon. Until then, they had to fend off a second wave of attacks from the fighter jets.

“Get the canons online,” he ordered. “Turn to starboard and get the port side out of the line of fire – we can’t afford to take any more damage to the hull.”

Hux frowned as his officers scurried to complete their tasks, and he turned to the panoramic window that looked out into space. The fire tornado that had ripped through the damaged compartments when the oxygen had been vented had dissipated, leaving behind only a trail of floating debris and charred corpses. X-Wings came toward him like birds of prey flying right out of the sun; flashes of light where their canons fired.

“General, we have no weapons!” shouted a technical officer to his right; panic evident in his voice. “Whatever they did to disable the shield must have taken out the cannons too.”

Hux swore under his breath. Without weapons or a shield they were sitting ducks – the X-Wings would wipe them out with blaster fire without the need for a ship with heavier weaponry.  He wasn’t even able to send out TIE fighters. The flight deck was left open and protected by the ship’s shield – once that had been taken out, whoever had been on the deck would have died just like the people Hux had ordered vented out of the flaming compartments of the lower levels. Half of his pilots were already gone.

A proximity warning siren began to blare over the top of the other noise, alerting them all to the arrival of the destroyer they’d all been expecting. Even before the tech officer hailed him, Hux knew what his next step had to be.

“Order a ship-wide evacuation,” he shouted as the Finalizer shook with another round of fire from the X-Wings.

All noises ceased for a single second as the warning sirens were cut and the evacuation signal sounded in their place.  His crew were all well trained – those who had come up from the Academy had been drilled on every conceivable disaster time and time again, so much so that they could do this in their sleep. His troopers were just as well versed in drills and Hux had no doubt they would be following Captain Phasma’s direction. She was one of his finest officers and Hux had no doubt she would oversee the process of evacuation with precision and calm. He almost wished she could be by his side.

“Everybody get to the evacuation pods,” Hux shouted to the bridge officers, all who looked slightly lost and panicked without a task to carry out.

They moved en masse; seats pushed back as they all stood and immediately headed for the exit. All except one – the young Lieutenant who had first spotted the interference. She stood, staring in disbelief at her screen; the frustration and anger clear on her face.

“I’m sorry, General,” she said as Hux passed; grabbing her arm to pull her away. “I should have...”

“No,” Hux interrupted; briskly. “You did your job. It was my decision not to act at the time. None of this is on you.”

He knew her kind – the ones who performed to high standards; who always had the answers; who blamed themselves if something went wrong on their watch because they should have known better. Hux knew her kind because he was one of them, and this was his mistake not hers. He was the person responsible for the deaths of a hundred crew members and he would be damned sure not to lose any more today.

The officer stared at him for a second and then nodded; accepting his decision and taking off at a run after the others. Now that the bridge was clear, Hux turned back to his data pad and typed in several sequences that would bring about the Finalizer’s self destruction. Nobody would get their hands on this ship intact – Hux would destroy every record the Finalizer held before then destroying the shell. Ten minutes would be long enough to find a life pod and get off the ship. Satisfied, Hux typed in the final sequence; threw the data pad aside; and began to run.

The Finalizer continued to rock and shudder under continuous fire and Hux only hoped that the Resistance were solely targeting the ship and not the hundreds of life pods that would be ejecting and heading back to the First Order Fleet. The situation seemed dire, but Hux’s head was clear; adrenaline racing through his veins as he sped down the corridors and around corners. He had always excelled under high pressure. He was actually enjoying himself.

He almost ran into a wall as he heard somebody shout his name. Looking around him wildly, Hux saw nobody – all the corridors were deserted; the crew and troopers all on the life deck or already in pods. He frowned; annoyed at the distraction and took off again at top speed. It couldn’t have been imagined, he thought; although how he’d been able to hear anything at all over the blasting sirens was beyond his comprehension. It was surprising that Hux had heard anything at all.

The second time he heard his name being called; Hux realised three things – that the voice wasn’t a voice at all, but a kind of pull on his mind; that he was heading towards it; and worst of all, that he had taken a wrong turn in his distraction. Hux was no longer running towards the life pods.

He swore loudly just as the Finalizer was hit by cannon fire; the blast throwing him against the wall. Seconds later, the floor caved in beneath his feet and Hux went down with a hail of twisted metal and carbon fibre; sparks from ravaged cables flying in all directions. There was nothing to grab onto – no footholds or solid, stationary objects that his hands could find and Hux went down with a yell of shock and anger.

Hux didn’t remember landing; only that when he opened his eyes, he was covered with dust; surrounded by flames; and pinned in place by a metal girder that had fallen across his chest. Pain shot through his side as he tried to move and he recognised the pain of broken ribs. Hux was trapped. With the Finalizer in ruins and due to self destruct in five minutes, this was where General Bren Hux would meet his end.

Thick black smoke from the electrical fires billowed around him and Hux thought with a modicum of thanks that he’d die from smoke inhalation before the ship exploded. It wasn’t the worst way to die – relatively quick and almost painless as his lungs filled up with carbon particles and ceased to function. At least nobody was around to witness it.

His vision clouded fast with the combination of heat and oxygen deprivation; he didn’t even feel the pain in his ribs anymore as the fog overtook his brain. Somebody was calling his name again and Hux couldn’t help the stab of irritation he felt.

“Leave me alone,” he croaked; the hot, dry air sucking all the moisture from his throat.

“Not a chance,” came the reply Hux had not been expecting; the voice familiar to Hux’s ears and yet at the same time, not.

It was a struggle to open his eyes but even when he did, his vision was hazy. Hux could make out only the shape of a face framed by dark hair. He wanted to tell his rescuer to leave him; that there was only a few moments left to find a life pod and get off the ship alive, but his voice refused to work. Hux was hot and exhausted; his consciousness slipping fast as he gave up his fight. The last thing he remembered before he slipped under was the cool hand on his heated cheek and a that almost-familiar voice telling him to hold on.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Year 16 AE (After Endor)**

 

Ben didn’t even know if he’d slept. If he had, it had been in snatches through the night; drifting in and out of consciousness as he listened to the rain hitting the vast leafy canopies and the cries and night time sounds of the various exotic creatures that were native to this planet. He was hot; the overnight rain turning the planet into a sauna rather than cooling it down, causing a film of perspiration to cover Ben’s skin from head to toe. Ben was used to the heat and humidity now that he’d spent several years here in the Skywalker Temple. How pretentious, he thought, that his uncle named the temple after himself.

It was a fleeting thought; Ben shaking it away almost as soon as it had entered his head. Today was not a day for pondering these things. It wouldn’t do him any good; not when his intention was to convince his uncle to take his education to the next level. Ben needed a clear mind; not for it to be burdened by personal issues and frustrations. That would never do.

He climbed out of his bed roll and padded over to the bowl that served as a washbasin in the corner of his room; picking up the pitcher of tepid water beside it and pouring out a generous measure. Ben always wished that the water would be cool, but it was always the same temperature; never as refreshing as it ought to be and, although cleansing Ben of his layer of sweat, still left him feeling sticky and hot.

Why the Jedi temple had to be situated where it was and not a planet with a more temperate climate, Ben would never know. The heat and humidity were enough on their own to make anybody irritable, never mind somebody with Ben’s short fuse. He stopped washing and straightened; taking a few deep and steady breaths to calm himself; just the way he’d been taught. He had to remain calm; emotionless.

This time his uncle would agree. He had to agree, or Ben would lose his mind. He had studied; he had meditated; he had improved his control and he was ready. Ben couldn’t stand another day in this temple, relegated to teaching fighting disciplines to infants. He was worth more than that; he deserved to be taken seriously and given the right to advance himself. He ignored the nagging voice in the back of his mind reminding him that he’d tried and failed already – why would this time be any different?

Ben could hear the bell ringing in the temple’s heart, calling them all to meditation. His stomach complained about it loudly and Ben did his best to ignore it as he slipped on his shirt and sandals; leaving his belt and his light sabre where they were for the time being – he didn’t need either of them to mediate or eat breakfast afterwards. Quickly, he followed the sounds of children’s giggles and the hammering of small footsteps as the younglings raced each other to the hall. There weren’t many of them; not as many as there had been during the Old Republic, before the massacre...

Avoiding a near collision with a small girl; Ben skirted the line of children and scanned ahead for his uncle. He found Luke Skywalker at the entrance to the hall; patiently waiting for his younglings to arrive. Ben smoothed back his hair and fixed his most neutral expression onto his face.

“Master,” he greeted his uncle, respectfully. “I was wondering if I may talk to you before meditation.”

“Can it wait?” Luke asked; an eyebrow raised as the younglings drew closer.

Ben shuffled his feet.

“If I leave it until after, I will not be able to concentrate for thinking.”

Luke looked at him; curiosity in his blue eyes. Ben didn’t like that look – it made his skin prickle uncomfortably.

“I know what you want to ask,” Luke said eventually. “And the answer is no. Not yet – you’re just not ready.”

Ben bristled at his uncle’s words. He was fifteen now and had been studying under Luke for years. Ben had mastered all of his training so far but Luke refused to teach him how to further channel and use the Force. It annoyed him considerably.

“I _am_ ready,” Ben insisted. “I’ve been ready for a long time now, Master. I just need a chance to show you...”

“Ben,” interrupted Luke; his voice irritatingly sympathetic. “I understand that you want to move ahead with your training. I remember being your age and just wanting to get the hell off my home planet and into something new. Hell, I remember seeking out Master Yoda and begging him to train me! He told me I wasn’t ready either, and in hindsight I probably wasn’t – it was just that we had a Galaxy to save and there was no one else but him and me.”

The gaggle of younglings reached them and Luke broke off to give each of them a smile; lightly touching the tops of their heads as they passed into the meditation hall.

“There’s no rush, Ben,” Luke continued. “You’re fifteen – still a young Padawan. You have all the time in the world to be ready.”

“But I’m ready _now_!” Ben hissed; his hands balling into fists at his sides. “I have done everything you’ve ever asked me to do. I have learned and followed the Jedi Code; I have worked hard to gain knowledge and avoid ignorance; I am proficient in the combat disciplines...”

“You still cannot control your emotions,” Luke interrupted him again. “You let your temper get the better of you, Ben. You get frustrated with yourself when you don’t get something exactly right and you get upset when things don’t go the way you want them to. I get it – I really do, but until you can control your feelings, I can’t let you study use of the Force in more depth. It’s just too dangerous.”

Despite his best efforts, Ben could feel the heat of anger begin to simmer inside him. Too often he’d been told the cautionary tale of Anakin Skywalker – it was used as a deterrent for younglings; to warn them against giving in to their feelings and falling to the dark side – the story of the young Jedi, strong with the Force who gave in to fear and anger, and became the dreaded Sith Lord Vader who spread suffering throughout the Galaxy. Ben had heard the tale more than most; had been warned throughout his entire childhood about how his grandfather’s actions had helped to destroy the Galaxy and caused the suffering of millions, all because he allowed his emotions to master him.

“Maybe if you just believed in me, I wouldn’t get so upset!” Ben replied; practically spitting the words at Luke. “I’m the strongest Force user in this temple! I have done everything for you and all I ask in return is a little faith – just one lesson. Let me prove to you that I’m ready!”

The Jedi Master slowly shook his head and Ben felt his heart sink along with every hope he’d carried of ever advancing to the next level. His uncle had taken it all away from him once again; for this was not the first time Ben had approached the subject with him. Every time, Luke had told Ben to work harder on controlling his feelings and Ben had. He had meditated; he’d attempted to channel his upset and anger and frustration into other outlets but time and time again, Luke responded the same: Ben just wasn’t ready.

“Have patience,” was all Luke would say; giving Ben a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as he made to follow the younglings into the hall. “It’ll come in time.”

Ben closed his eyes and squeezed his fists tightly; trying desperately to control his frustration. Tears leaked from the corners and his breathing came in sharp, ragged bursts until he felt something crack – in a distant room somewhere, Ben’s emotions had caused something to fracture. Quickly, he began to walk away from the meditation hall and back towards his room. Ben needed to get out of there before he did something regrettable.

 

****

 

Ben thought a trip home would help.

It was all getting to him - being so far from home on a planet full of rainforest, he missed the noise and the hustle and bustle of Galactic City; but that wasn’t the worst of it. Ben could cope with being a little homesick and he was luckier than most of the children at the Jedi temple. Training took them far from their families at a young age as they learned to break their attachments in order to dedicate their lives to the Force and to others. He was the only one who had remained attached to his own family. It was because of who he was; of whom they were. Sometimes, Ben thought it had been the worst decision any of them had ever made.

He was the strongest of them; of all the Padawans and younglings in the fledgling Skywalker temple; the strongest of the new Jedi generation. And yet, no matter how hard he tried, no matter what he did to prove how capable he was, his uncle always held him back. After being refused again, Ben had hurried back to his room; picked up the few belongings he owned; and taken one of the temple’s shuttles without permission.

If Luke wouldn’t hear him out, then hopefully his mother would. She would talk to her brother; she could convince him that Ben was ready for further study. Ben could go back to the temple and learn how to use the Force properly, and all would be well. It was the naive hope of a boy, but Ben refused to allow himself to think it could go any other way. He would not go back to life in the temple being treated like a child; held back from reaching the power he knew he possessed. Ben would rather die.

He felt immediately calmer upon entering the atmosphere of Coruscant; a fifteen year old boy piloting a shuttle on his own through the busy traffic of Galactic City with practiced ease. His father had at least stuck around long enough to teach him to fly, even if Ben had never shown an affinity for engines or the finer points of ship maintenance.

Ben could fly the route home with his eyes shut by now – the tall buildings of a city that covered an entire planet so familiar and comforting to him; the hum of shuttle engines; the bright lights of billboards and bars, clubs and stores. It didn’t take him long to find his home, near to where the old Senate had been in the larger apartments reserved for politicians. The seat of the New Republic Senate had long since moved to Hosnian Prime, but his mother preferred to keep a little distance between home and work.

He breathed an audible sigh of relief as he docked his shuttle and saw the shiny gold of his mother’s protocol droid, C3PO, waiting for him. Almost as soon as the feeling hit him it was gone – if C3PO was here to meet him, it could only mean that Luke had already spoken to his mother. Ben bit his lip as he cut the engines and alighted his shuttle, keeping his eyes on the shiny gold droid shuffling towards him.

“Master Ben!” it greeted him in a reproachful tone. “Senator Organa is about to leave for Hosnian Prime. Your arrival has not been timely!”

“I just need five minutes with her,” Ben replied; pushing past the droid. “She can give me that, at least.”

The droid followed him at a shuffle, constantly chattering in Ben’s ear about the Senator being very busy with packing; that she had far too much to deal with without Ben getting into trouble at the temple; and that Master Luke was never so much bother. Ben resisted the urge to push the droid off the roof.

His mother was indeed in her bedroom, pacing as she checked a list on her data pad. Leia Organa had been brought up a Princess and a politician; had spent years with the Rebel fighters as a commander and she held herself like all three at once. She commanded attention just by existing – fierce and beautiful; almost shimmering with competence and the power of one so respected. Ben had always been in awe of his mother; had always strived to please her and make her proud.

She barely looked up as Ben entered the room.

“So, you’re here. Finally.”

Ben frowned at her from the doorway as she continued to scroll through her list.

“I take it you were expecting me, mother,” he replied.

Leia Organa lifted a perfectly groomed eyebrow and made a sound somewhere between a huff and a laugh.

“If by that do you mean that my brother contacted me several hours ago to inform me that you had argued with him; use the Force to destroy a precious relic; and stole a shuttle that he presumed would bring you here, then yes.”

Ben’s frown deepened as Leia turned back to her packing.

“Did he tell you what we argued about?”

“Of course,” Leia replied with a huff. “It was the same thing you always argue about, and I’m going to tell you the same thing he told you – you’re not ready.”

It was like a slap in the face to Ben. His mother had always been Ben’s biggest advocate; had defended him on many similar occasions – she was supposed to be on his side. There were no words to describe the betrayal he felt.

“You don’t believe in me either,” he said in disbelief, watching her as she meticulously folded a shawl and tucked it into her case.

Leia Organa sighed and straightened.

“Ben...I trust your uncle’s judgement. If Luke says you need more time, then you need more time.”

“You’re my mother! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“Your side?” Leia replied, raising her voice. “This isn’t a game, Ben and nor is it a battle. There are no sides here, just a fifteen year old boy who thinks that just because he has the potential to wield great power that it’s his right to demand when he does it. We’ve all indulged you up until now Ben, but you need to grow up and accept that the Galaxy doesn’t revolve around you.”

Ben stared at her, pale and numb from her words as though they had been thousands of tiny shards of glass, cutting through his skin and embedding in his soul. He was crushed. This is what his own mother really thought of him – just a spoilt brat who wouldn’t listen to authority.

Leia sighed again, rubbing her temples to ward off an impending stress headache.

“Go back to the temple, Ben,” she said eventually. “Apologise to Luke and get back to your studies.”

Turning, she closed her suitcase a decisive movement and motioned for the droid who had been hovering anxiously in the doorway. She gave Ben only the briefest glance as she passed him and headed out; leaving her son standing in the middle of the room feeling dejected and at a loss of what to do next.

Within moments, the household had quietened; his mother having left with her droid and advisors, and leaving Ben alone. He’d thought at least she would be on his side, but in the end she had shattered his dreams just as Luke had. His family didn’t believe in him...or they didn’t trust him.

People always been afraid of him. Even as a small child, Ben had known he was different; that there was something that made people wary of him. That was the curse of being Force-Sensitive; or more to the point, that was the curse of being the grandson of Darth Vader - a child that could destroy without laying a finger on things whenever he cried or felt angry.

It didn’t matter that his parents were heroes of the New Republic. They were good people who loved their son in the own way, but their marriage had been doomed to failure from the start - they were too similar; both too stubborn and headstrong, too self-absorbed and used to having their own way. It was how he’d ended up on a faraway planet, training to become a Jedi Knight with the only person who was supposed to know how he felt. Ben knew by now that Luke Skywalker would never know how he felt. He didn’t understand how it was to have all this expectation thrust upon him with one hand and be held back by another; permanently unable to reach his potential.

Ben wandered through the luxury apartment that had once been his home. It didn’t feel like home any more, but neither did the Skywalker Temple. It was as though Ben no longer belonged anywhere.

His childhood bedroom was exactly the same as he’d left it – all toys remained untouched and perfect in situ. It was the bedroom of a small child, full of toy spaceships and constellations on the walls that would glow softly in the dark. Ben climbed onto the windowsill and looked out of the window at Galactic City with an empty, hollow feeling in his belly. He didn’t even know how to be angry anymore; not at his mother.

She had always been the one constant in Ben’s life – beyond the temple and the Jedi training; beyond the father who had rarely been around during his childhood and had nothing in common with his son whenever he had been home. Now even Leia Organa had betrayed him. She’d been his last hope of happiness and she’d dashed all his hopes and dreams. They all had.

In an instant, something inside of Ben hardened. He wouldn’t be going back to the temple, and he wouldn’t stay here in his mother’s home. Ben knew, somewhere deep down, that there was somebody else out there who could give him what he wanted. The Jedi had failed him and they were not the only Force users in the Galaxy – if Luke refused to help Ben reach his full potential, then Ben was going to find somebody who would. He would reinvent himself; change his name and no longer be Ben Solo; no longer be held back by his family. Ben would prove to them all that he was strong; that he was ready to wield the Force properly and learn all of it’s secrets. However long it took him to find his new teacher, Ben would show them all.


	3. Chapter 3

** Year 31 AE **

 

His brain felt like it was about to burst inside of his skull with the noise. Hux didn’t realise that dying would be so loud. The smoke was in his lungs, constricting his breathing so that each inhalation was absolute agony and he wondered why he wasn’t dead yet. Asphyxiation was taking its own sweet time.

The noise sounded less like a battle cruiser breaking up around him and more like the high-pitched drone of a fighter jet. Cracking his eyes open, Hux blinked and tried to make sense of the bright, blurred colours around him. He couldn’t make out much except the outline of somebody’s head; dark hair; shoulder length; wavy. Hux managed a weak smile to himself – the brain was an amazing thing to use its last moments conjuring up images like these.

Hux was dying, but instead of seeing the Finalizer disintegrating, covered in fire and twisted metal he was imagining that the love of his life had come back for him. Funny, Hux thought – he’d never realised before that he was so sentimental. It was only the back of a head. Hux didn’t think he could remember the details of a face even if his brain wasn’t so starved of oxygen, so it made sense. There were worse things to imagine as you died.

Using the last reserves of energy he possessed, Hux reached out; his fingertips brushing against the dark hair. It felt soft; so real and Hux marvelled at his memory and the power of the mind. Exhausted, he let his hand drop and closed his heavy eyelids as he felt darkness creeping back in at the edges. It was fitting, he supposed, that they were together at the end; even if it was only imaginary. He was glad not to die alone.

 

****

 

Ben’s mind was in a daze; his entire world changed in just a few moments.

His mother was talking in his ear but Ben could focus only on the unconscious figure the medics were swiftly laying on a gurney. Under all the soot, his face was deathly white; the brightness of his red hair only making the dark shadows under his closed eyes more prominent.  He looked dead already.

“...completely reckless! What if the ship had exploded with you still on it?”

“What?” Ben replied; blinking slowly as he turned his head to meet Leia Organa’s gaze.

Even in her fifties, she was every bit the military general she always had been – still strong; still commanding; still fierce and beautiful. She looked half angry at him and half relieved; and Ben couldn’t figure out how to respond to her. He hadn’t been thinking about the burning Finalizer set to self destruct; he’d only been thinking of getting to the General; of getting him out of there before it was too late.

“Stop busting the boy’s balls, Leia!” came Han Solo’s voice from behind him. Ben’s father sounded so much more jovial than he should have at a time like this; clapping Ben heartily on the shoulder as he approached with Luke Skywalker at his side. “You should have seen his flying! Probably his best – I’m proud!”

Once, Ben would have given anything to hear his father say those words but today, he couldn’t care less. His head was too full and his body too numb to feel anything for the praise. Ignoring Han, Ben turned back to the observation window; wrapping his arms around himself as he watched the medics begin to cut away the burnt and charred remains of Hux’s once-beautifully tailored uniform.

Beside him, his mother sighed.

“I’m just saying, it was reckless – going in there with no support...”

“Yeah, but just look at the prize he came out with!” Han replied as he slipped his arm around Leia’s shoulders. “Although, I’m not sure how happy I am about saving that bastard’s life considering what he did to the Hosnian system.”

“If we didn’t save is life, then we’d be just like them,” Luke murmured; blue eyes watching the activity in the med bay. “We’d be pretty awful people if we let him die despite having the capacity to save it.”

“I’m just don’t think he deserves it, is all...”

“We’ll save his life,’ Leia said, decisively. “And when he’s recovered enough and ruled fit, we’ll interrogate him and decide what to do with him after that. We’ll get justice for all the people he’s murdered.”

Ben closed his eyes and squeezed them tightly shut. He’d always known who Hux was, right from the beginning; from the moment they met each other but still the knowledge of what he had done since left Ben confused. He knew so much more about Hux’s story than any of the Resistance could imagine; about how the man had been made; about the other side of him that Hux rarely showed.

A hand on his shoulder made Ben jump and he opened his eyes to find himself looking down on his uncle. Ben hadn’t even noticed that his parents had both left.

“You knew him, didn’t you?” Luke asked him, gently. “You were...friends?”

Ben gave his uncle a wry smile.

“I guess you could say that,” he replied.

Force Sensitivity was an incredible thing but Ben suspected his uncle didn’t even need to use the Force to know his nephew was conflicted about capturing the First Order General lying unconscious in the med bay. It was probably radiating from him in waves.

They both watched the medics for a moment as they hooked Hux up to various machines and inserted IV catheters into his thin arms. Under all that fabric, Hux looked so frail and white.

"It can sometimes be difficult to accept that somebody we once knew so well could be capable of doing so many awful things,” Luke murmured, “but everyone has a chance to redeem themselves."

"I hope so," replied Ben.

Beside him, Luke shrugged.

“Unfortunately for us, they have to take that chance for themselves. We can’t make them do it.”

Ben nodded. It was entirely possible that the man lying in their med bay wasn’t anything like the boy Ben had known fifteen years ago, but he hoped for everybody’s sake that maybe a sliver of him still remained.

 

****

 

The holo gave off an eerie blue glow in the dark command room; illuminating the faces of the Resistance commanders that stood around it.

“It was a total success,” Snap Wexley was saying. “The X-Wing pilots were perfect – setting off the EMP, and then tearing a hole in the Finalizer’s hull...”

He reached out and enlarged the portion of the holo that showed the Finaliser’s port side hull; playing back the moment where canon fire from thirty X-Wing fighters simultaneously ripped through the ship in a single devastating move.

“The stats say they lost just over a hundred personnel in that first wave,” Admiral Statura mentioned as he studied the data pad in his hands.

Admiral Ackbar scoffed from the opposite side of the table.

“Who cares how many they lost? The important thing is that we lost none of ours!”

Beside Statura, General Organa looked up; her mouth, a grim line.

“Don’t forget, Admiral – these people were somebody’s sons or daughters; perhaps some were parents. There is somebody who will miss them. This might be war and they may be our enemies, but they’re still people whose lives we cut short.”

The table went silent and Ackbar bowed slightly.

“Apologies, General,” he replied, solemnly.

Leia’s fingers tightened around the small object she held in her pocket. Taking a deep breath, she nodded to the pilot.

“Carry on, Snap.”

He returned her nod and touched the holo again; zooming away from the image of the Finalizer’s ruined hull.

“From there, it was easy work to take out the canons and blasters; rendering the Finalizer unable to retaliate,” he said. “After that, they started evacuating.”

“We have people tracking the life pods,” added Statura. “We’ll find their fleet easily.”

“Of course, the Finalizer self destructed before we could hack into their mainframe,” Snap concluded. “But your son somehow found his way on board to take General Hux captive.”

“He’s a fine prize!” said Ackbar, happily.

“We’ve already sent a message to the First Order, claiming him.”

“Are we expecting ransom?”

“No,” replied Leia, firmly. “We’re not negotiating with the First Order. No matter who we have in our custody, they’d never agree to our terms just as we would never agree to theirs. Hux isn’t going anywhere.”

The commanders of the resistance nodded in agreement.

“What do you propose we do with him, General?” Statura asked as he looked up from his data pad.

Leia chewed the inside of her cheek gently; her fingers turning the small object in her pocket over and over as she considered their options.

“Bring up Hux’s medical report,” she requested.

The holo of the Finalizer blinked out and was replaced a second later by a medical record – nervous system layered under internal organs, layered under skeletal structure, and then finally the skin.

“He received minimal superficial damage,” said the Chief Medical Officer. “Minor burns to his hands and the side of his face that should heal up in a few days without much, or any scarring. It’s internally that most of the trouble is.”

She touched the holo; taking away the layers she didn’t require and enlarged the area over Hux’s chest.

“He inhaled a lot of smoke,” the CMO continued. “There a lot of toxins in his system that we’re working to purge and a fair amount of scorching to his airways and lungs from heated air. Pair that with the fact that he has three shattered ribs, and he’s going to find breathing very hard for a while. We’re keeping him fully sedated and breathing for him until he can manage on his own.”

“Any brain damage from the oxygen deprivation?” Leia asked.

“We don’t believe so, General,” replied the CMO. “Brain activity seems normal, but we won’t know for certain until he wakes up.”

“And how long are we expecting to wait for that?”

“A couple of weeks, General.”

Leia nodded again and tightened her grip on the object in her pocket. The CMO had given it to her before the debriefing along with the other affects taken from Hux – a ring; solid yellow gold worn smooth on the inside; rough on the outside with studded rubies. It wasn’t the first time Leia Organa had seen this particular ring and it troubled her that it had been found in Hux’s posession.

“Alright,” Leia said after a moment. “As soon as the Chief Medical Officer clears him as fit, we’ll question him. We’ll see what kind of man he is – if he wants to offer us information on the First Order.”

“Interrogate him?” Han Solo said as he stepped forward, having watched the debriefing from the back of the room. “You want him to confess his crimes, all I gotta do is send in Chewie! One angry Wookie’ll get anyone singing.”

His statement was received with a few smiles and light laughs, but Leia scowled.

“You want to beat information out of him?”

Her husband shrugged and grinned at her.

“I’m only trying to help.”

“Well, you’re not,” she replied. “You stay away from the prisoner – you _and_ Chewbacca.”

Leia pinched the bridge of her nose between forefinger and thumb, taking another deep breath. She had two weeks until she could interrogate the First Order General. The remaining members of the New Republic Senate would not be happy about that.

 

****

 

“Two weeks in unacceptable, General!” exclaimed the Chancellor. “The Hosnian System deserves justice...”

“The Hosnian System no longer exists,” Leia interrupted, sternly. “I don’t think a handful of weeks will make all that much difference to the millions who are already gone.”

The holographic face scowled at her.

“That’s very cold of you, General Organa.”

Leia straightened her shoulders and glared at the Chancellor.

“You forget that I was forced to watch as the Empire destroyed my own home planet. It was years before I could get justice for what the Emperor did to the people of Alderaan. The Hosnaian System can wait a few weeks.”

A few weeks also gave Leia some time to prepare. They’d never taken captive an officer of this magnitude before, and Hux was the biggest fish they could have caught with exception of Snoke himself. The First Order must have been losing their collective minds at the loss and the small Resistance base at D’Qar wasn’t quite equipped to hold such a prisoner. They would need to construct a cell while he was in his induced coma, and the man couldn’t leave the planet for risk of the Order taking him back during transportation...

The holographic projection of the Chancellor sniffed reproachfully and straightened their collar before speaking again.

“Very well, General. However, as soon as he’s declared fit, the Senate demand that he stands trial for war crimes.”

“We’ll have to hold the tribunal on D’Qar. We can’t risk taking him off planet...”

“Very well!” the Chancellor repeated with a hit of impatence. “Inform us immediately of developments in his health.”

Leia nodded and cut the transmission. The second the holo disappeared, she lost her poise; shoulders slumping as she sat down heavily; head in her hands as she rubbed her temples. If only Ben hadn’t gone on board for him...

It still confused her why Ben had done what he had. It confused her even more that Hux had been found wearing the ring that had once belonged to Darth Vader back when he was Anakin Skywalker. There was more to this situation that met the eye but Leia Organa needed more time to figure out what it was. With any luck, General Hux would be in his coma for a good long while.

 


	4. Chapter 4

** Year 16 AE **

 

Weeks of travelling had brought him here. Ben’s stomach was in knots with apprehension as the decrepit space station loomed into view. Logic told him this couldn’t be the place, but Ben knew that it had to be.

Without a map or a destination, travelling the Galaxy was dangerous but Ben had done it all on his own; evading any authorities that may have been looking for him and following his gut feeling. It had been like a gravitational pull on his mind – not knowing where the feeling would lead him but sure that he’d find what he was looking for in the end. Now, as he docked his shuttle at the space station and shut down the engines, Ben knew his teacher was here – the teacher he’d been searching for.

He was afraid; swallowing down the rising nausea as his foot touched the aging metal of the walkway. The place seemed abandoned. Ben had visited space stations and ports before and every single one of them had been busy; filled with people and noise; bustling and heaving. All around him was silence; his footsteps echoing as he walked away from his shuttle and into the heart of the space station; ignoring the desire to flee.

He’d been following a feeling from the start; the pull on his heart and mind growing stronger with every parsec travelled and now Ben had reached the end of his journey. With every step he took he could feel it – the Force flowing through the metal; embedded into it and keeping the space station in orbit. Whoever his new teacher was, Ben knew they were a powerful Force user.

Ben carried no belongings with him – the clothes on his back were all he owned and his nose had grown accustomed to the smell of his own unwashed body. He still looked like a Padawan in his beige robes; his hair cut short on the sides and longer at the top; braid falling over his shoulder. He’d been a Jedi for so long that he could scarce believe the time was coming to an end. The next step could bring him face to face with his new teacher.

The air suddenly condensed around him, crackling with energy as he turned the corner and found himself in a large chamber shrouded in darkness. At the far end, a blue light began to glow; growing bigger and brighter; illuminating the silhouette of a figure sitting on a Dias.

“Welcome, Kylo. I have been waiting a long time for you.”

Ben could barely breathe; fear and excitement swirling inside him like a vortex.

“How do you know that name?” he asked; fighting to keep his voice even.

During his weeks of travelling, Ben had thought of ways to reinvent himself; listed new names as far from his own as he could conceive. He’d always come back to the same one.

“I have known you since you were a child,” replied the figure. “You and I have always been connected, Kylo. It was I who helped you find your way here; I who guided your mind. We have always been destined to meet.”

Kylo swallowed; his mind racing.

“Who are you?”

The figure laughed; sounding almost kindly and indulgent.

“Most know me as Snoke – Supreme Leader of the First Order.”

The name was familiar to Kylo. He’d heard the First Order mentioned in passing conversations between his mother and uncle - a remnant of the Empire. For a moment, he considered turning back but Ben knew there was no place for him in the Jedi Order anymore; no place in his mother’s home. There was only one way for him now – whoever his teacher was; whatever his affiliations, he was the only person alive who could help Ben master the Force.

This had always meant to happen.

For as long as he could remember, Ben had felt different; had felt like there was somewhere else he should be and something else he should be doing. Snoke had told him they’d been connected; that it was destiny that they should meet and suddenly it was as though missing pieces of a puzzle had appeared and clicked into place.

He’d always had so many doubts about the Jedi Order; doubts about why he had to only follow the Light; doubts about his ability to do that. Other younglings had always excelled at control of their feelings whereas Ben had struggled his whole life. There was something dark inside of him that he’d always been told to repress. Perhaps now he didn’t have to.

“Will you teach me the ways of the Force?” he asked; his voice sounding shaky to his own ears.

Snoke’s voice resonated around the cold, dark room; filling Ben with hope once again.

“There is both light and dark inside you, Kylo. You have so much potential and it must be explored – both sides of the spectrum. You have studied the Light, now I will help you harness the power of the Dark side of the Force; for that is the only way you will find the power you so desperately seek.”

Trembling, Kylo dropped to one knee and took his light sabre from his belt; feeling the heat from the glowing blade as he raised it to his head and cut his braid. The smell of singed hair filled his nose as he held it in both hands; offering it to the figure on the Dias.

“I am most honoured that the Supreme Leader waited for me. I offer this as my renouncement of the Jedi Order and my solemn dedication to you...Master.”

The air around him crackled again; thrumming with power. If Ben had been older or wiser, he may have recognised this as theatrics, but he was fifteen and lost; recognising only the power of the Force and being drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

“Come, Kylo,” said Snoke, encouragingly. “Let us begin our journey together.”

 

****

 

 His ribs hurt in that deep, throbbing way that betrayed a fractured bone or two; no doubt induced by the large brute of a boy he was fighting – the one who looked more like a Hutt than a human and packed a good, solid punch. To an outsider, fifteen year old Cadet Hux looked like an easy target but his peers knew better. Hux was tall, but not prone to putting on muscle despite the First Order’s high protein diet and rigorous training regime; however, what he lacked in bulk he made up for in sheer ruthlessness. Cadet Hux played dirty and used his opponents’ abilities against them, which is why he always won. He had earned his place as the Academy’s star cadet and wasn’t about to let anybody forget how or why he was at the top.

Ducking low, Hux feinted with his left and almost smiled when the mountain of a boy fell for it. Hux rocked on his back foot and struck out with his elbow, cracking the boy across the temple as his momentum carried him forward. The boy swayed slightly and blinked – his reaction time was not fast enough to avoid the sharp, bony knee that hurtled upwards as Hux pushed down on the back of the boy’s head; knee making contact with a flabby jaw with a resounding crack that echoed throughout the training hall. The larger boy collapsed to the floor, boneless.

“Cadet Hux!”

Green eyes lifted to the observation platform where a man stood – a Commandant; cold-eyed with auburn hair and beard; powerfully built and in an immaculate uniform. Hux’s heels immediately clicked together as he saluted.

“Sir!”

“My office - now.”

“Yes, Sir,” the cadet replied.

Casting a glance at his peer on the ground, Hux sneered and spun on his heel; leaving his fellow cadets to gawp at the body that may have been unconscious or dead. Hux honestly didn’t care.

Brushing his sweat-soaked hair back from his face, he walked fast; ignoring the immense pain in his ribs as he climbed the metal stairs to the Commandant’s office. The bruises on his face were only a testament to how hard he fought and Hux was proud of the shiny purple mark appearing on his left cheekbone. He had always worked extra hard to prove himself and was sure his efforts didn’t go unnoticed by the Commandant.

The entire ship belonged to the Cadets – a huge Academy floating in the vastness of space; every task completed by the Cadets themselves; every job on the ship was theirs to master. The only adults on board were their instructors and the Commandant himself. He was a hard man; ruthless and cunning with a firm vision of how his cadets should be trained; showing no mercy to those who didn’t make the cut. Only the strong survived in Commandant Brendol Hux’s program.

The Commandant’s cold green eyes looked the young cadet over as he knocked and stood at attention by the open office door; taking in Hux’s sweat-soaked training clothes, damp hair, and cut lip with something bordering on approval.

“Enter,” he said; motioning Cadet Hux forward with a slight movement of his fingers.

The cadet did as he was bid immediately; marching forward to stand before the Commandant’s desk and saluting smartly with a click of his heels.

“Cadet First Class, Hux – reporting as requested, Sir.”

“At ease.”

Hux dropped his hand and clasped them both lightly behind his back; finally looking the Commandant in the eye as he lowered his head.

“Did you win?” the Commandant asked; referring to Hux’s cuts and bruises.

“Yes, Sir,” Hux replied.

The Commandant gave a slight nod.

“Good,” he murmured.

That was about as much praise as Cadet Hux ever received, but he’d learned to accept it; standing a little straighter with bolstered pride.

The Commandant turned back to the data pad on his desk.

“I’ve called you here for a very specific reason, Cadet,” Commandant Hux said. “It appears our Supreme Leader has taken on an apprentice.”

Young Hux’s brow furrowed.

“An apprentice, Sir?”

“A former Padawan of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker.”

The words were practically spat out, as though just the feel of them in his mouth were distasteful. Commandant Hux had admired the Jedi for many years; his training methods were based on the Jedi’s own model – taking a child early; breaking their contact and ties to family before training them in a very specific manner. Of course, admiration for a practice didn’t automatically mean that the Commandant liked them or approved in any way at all.

“I greatly distrust a Jedi who has turned against their own. Traitorous blood will always resurface...”

Cadet Hux stood silent – the best course of action when he hadn’t been asked a direct question. After a moment, the Commandant looked up from his data pad.

“In his infinite wisdom, the Supreme leader wishes to place his new apprentice into the academy for a while. He wants the boy to learn how to be a leader alongside his...other studies.”

Commandant Hux’s green eyes narrowed as he looked at his cadet and the boy stood straighter; squaring his shoulders.

“He’ll be in your charge while he’s here,” the Commandant continued finally. “The Supreme Leader asked for my best cadet, and by your test scores and reports from your instructors...my best cadet appears to be you.”

If young Hux had been a different kind of boy, he might have bristled at the backhanded compliment. He already knew he was the best cadet in the academy – he’d had no other choice. The man sitting before him may have been his father, but he bore no love at all for his son; did him no favours at all; was harsher on him than any other cadet. Hux had needed to prove himself from the day he’d been born; prove that he was smart and driven; ambitious and strong and a good leader, for only then would he be worthy. The academy had made him hard, but his thirst to prove himself had made him vicious. Cadet Hux only had the capacity to focus on himself and the last thing he wanted was to be relegated to babysitter.

“What are my duties, Sir?” he asked, carefully.

The Commandant sat back in his chair and gave the boy a cold smile.

“Same as always, Cadet. You will go about your usual daily tasks, but you will also be responsible for the Supreme Leader’s apprentice. You will have to teach him all of the necessary skills; make sure he shows up where and when he needs to. Consider this a test of your leadership skills.”

Cadet Hux’s face remained blank as he clicked his heels together and saluted smartly.

“Yes, Commandant,” he replied dutifully.

Satisfied, the Commandant picked up his data pad and nodded.

“He’ll be here in an hour, so I suggest you use that time to smarten yourself up. You are dismissed, Cadet.”

Hux saluted again and then turned on his heel; marching out of the office. He didn’t allow himself to feel anger until he’d reached his quarters and was safely behind closed doors. Cadet Hux had never experienced that hot, burning, volatile anger that he’d heard so much about. He didn’t yell or hit out or break things in a temper; rather, it was more of a cold anger that filled his veins with ice. Hux hated this apprentice before he’d even set foot on the ship but he wasn’t about to let the feeling get the better of him. He had been given a task to complete and he would have to endure it. Failure wasn’t an option for him. In his own careful and clever way, Hux would destroy him without tarnishing his own reputation one bit.

 

****

 

Commandant Brendol Hux waited a good few minutes before getting to his feet and closing the door office. Conversations like the one about to take place were best done in complete privacy, which was hard to come by on a ship full of nosy brats out to make a name for themselves. If the wrong ears heard this, all their plans could unravel.

Straightening his uniform, the Commandant patched the communication through and waited patiently. Before long, the ghostly blue holo of Snoke appeared and Hux saluted smartly.

“Supreme Leader.”

“Commandant Hux,” Snoke greeted him. “Have you secured the cadet I asked for?”

“I have, Supreme Leader,” the Commandant replied. “The best cadet in my academy will meet your apprentice off his shuttle in an hour.”

“Good,” purred Snoke. “You are sure they are the correct choice?”

“Absolutely,” Commandant Hux replied with confidence. “He’s a vicious little bastard – ambitious and completely self-absorbed. Doesn’t work well with others.”

“Excellent.”

Snoke sounded pleased with the choice.

It had been the strangest request Brendol Hux had ever received. Supreme Leader Snoke wanted his new apprentice to be ostracised at the academy; had wanted to see what the boy was made of when partnered with a peer who would despise him before they’d even met. At the same time, he wanted a cadet with potential; somebody who could possibly one day lead the First Order fleet. In that respect, it was the perfect match.

“My apprentice will be with you soon, Commandant. I expect regular reports on his progress.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Brendol Hux replied.

As the eerie blue holo disappeared, the Commandant allowed himself a small smile. This experiment was going to be interesting. He’d see what they were both made of.

 

****

 

Kylo Ren had been loath to leave his new master’s side. Two weeks with him and Kylo felt like he’d learned more than he’d ever learned with Luke. The Supreme Leader had never once berated him for losing his temper and instead had taught him to use the resentment and anger he felt to channel the Force. The power he’d felt had been stronger than anything else he’d ever experienced and Kylo was addicted to it already.

Then, just as he was getting settled, the Supreme Leader had sent him away.

“This is a mutual exchange, Kylo,” Snoke had told him, soothingly. “I will teach you; I will give you the knowledge to harness the power of the Dark Side of the Force, but in return you must do this for me. I will give you an army, but you need to learn how to lead. It is not for long – a few weeks there, and then a few weeks back with me for more training.”

It was a small price to pay for all that Snoke was doing for him, but still Kylo felt sick as he steered his shuttle into the hanger of the huge black ship. He supposed this was an opportunity to meet people his own age; possibly even make a friend amongst the First Order’s cadets. The Supreme Leader had informed him that the cadets’ training program was centred around Jedi training methods, so Kylo supposed they all had something in common.

Kylo’s hopes were dashed the second his eyes fell on the redhead waiting for him as he exited his shuttle.

The boy looked to be about the same age as himself – a purple bruise beginning to bloom against the pale skin of his left cheek; stick-thin and clad in an impeccable uniform. His flame-orange hair was slicked back from his face, making his features appear far more sharp and angular than they really were; cold green eyes looking Kylo Ren over from his hair to his boots and being completely unimpressed with what he saw.

“Supreme Leader Snoke’s apprentice, I presume?” the boy asked in a clipped tone.

Remembering the manners and etiquette drilled into him by his mother, Kylo automatically extended his hand in greeting.

“I’m Kylo Ren.”

The boy looked at the extended hand as though Kylo had offered him a rotting fish. His own hands stayed firmly clasped behind his back.

“Is that so,” the cadet murmured. “Somehow I expected...something more. Are the washing facilities broken on the Supreme Leader’s space station?”

Heat flooded Kylo’s face as he flushed with embarrassment. He’d left home with only the clothes on his back and weeks of travelling had desensitised his nose to the stench of his own body. Time spent with the Supreme Leader had been so full and taken all of his concentration that he’d barely remembered to eat never mind wash, but by the way the cadet’s nose wrinkled in disgust, Kylo could only imagine how badly he smelled.

“No matter,” the boy continued without waiting for a response. “I suppose I’ll just have to direct you immediately to your quarters and introduce you to our own facilities.”

The cadet spun on his heel and began to briskly walk away. Face still burning and with a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach, Kylo hurried after him.

“My name is Hux,” the redhead said without even checking to make sure Kylo was following. “Cadet, First Class. I’ve been assigned by the Commandant to oversee your training while you’re with us.”

“Hux?” Kylo repeated. “Like Commandant Hux?”

He felt, more than saw the cadet’s shoulders stiffen as he continued to walk fast. Kylo immediately had the feeling he’d said something wrong.

“We keep to very precise times on this ship,” Cadet Hux continued, as though Kylo had never spoken. “Two meals a day – breakfast at oh-five-hundred, and dinner at seventeen-hundred hours. If you’re late, you don’t get fed. On this ship, your only job is to be at your designated place, completing your designated task at the designated time. It’s my job to make sure you get there. I don’t tolerate tardiness or laziness – if you fail then I fail, and I’m not in the habit of failing. Is that clear?”

Cadet Hux suddenly stopped and turned to face him. Kylo pulled up short before he walked straight into him and scowled. The fact that this boy didn’t like him was evidently clear and Kylo bristled at the slight.

Now that they were toe-to-toe, he could see that they were almost the same height but Kylo had about an inch on the cadet and slightly broader shoulders. He could probably take the skinny weasel in a physical fight if he needed to.

“I’m not in the habit of failing, either,” Kylo responded; coldly.

Fair, neat eyebrows arched upwards.

“Well, that’s something at least,” Hux murmured. “This is you...”

He pressed his hand against the wall and suddenly a panel opened with a soft mechanical sound. Kylo had been so busy seething behind the cadet’s back that he’d completely forgotten to take stock of his surroundings. They were in a long, brightly-lit corridor with no distinguishing features except for the handful of evenly-spaced panels slightly sunken into the walls. Curiously, Kylo peered inside.

The room was little more than a box with a bed, desk, chair, clothes rail, and a smaller box off to the side that served as a bathroom. It was sparse and plainly decorated; built for function not beauty.

“Leave your clothes on the floor and a droid will take them to be incinerated,” Hux said, stepping aside to allow Kylo to enter. “I’ll visit the Quartermaster and get you a uniform to wear until you can find suitable attire from elsewhere. I’ll have a droid send it over while you get cleaned up.”

Kylo hated the way Cadet Hux spoke to him; hated that air of superiority the boy seemed to have. He’d been around spacecraft his entire life, yet this class of ship was unfamiliar to him; claustrophobic and clinical; cold...just like Hux. He wondered if all of the cadets had the same attitude or if he’d just been unlucky with this one.

“The showers are sonic,” the Cadet continued. “They’re not that difficult to use – you just...”

“I know how to use a sonic shower,” Kylo snapped at him; tired of being spoken to like he was stupid. “They’re used on large space craft and dry planets throughout the whole Galaxy to conserve water. I’ve used them many times before in several systems. I’m not completely uncultured.”

He immediately hated himself for losing his temper, especially since Hux seemed to do nothing more than blink at Kylo’s outburst before taking a step back.

“Well,” he murmured. “In that case, I’ll leave you to it...Lord Ren.”

Kylo’s face flashed with angry heat once again as the cadet turned on his heel and walked smartly out; remaining completely unruffled as the door slid closed behind him.

He looked around for something to break, but the room was bare. The lights flickered above his head and Kylo forced himself to take a deep breath. The Supreme Leader had encouraged him to feel his anger, but here he was on an unfamiliar ship with nothing to channel it into. He didn’t want to burst the lights and be left in complete darkness. He closed his eyes, concentrating on his breathing; aware of the hot, angry breath leaving his nostrils as he slowly sucked in large lungfuls of cool air. Meditation had never worked for him before and it didn’t help now either.

Angrily, he tore off his stinking clothes; not caring if the fabric ripped or seams split with the rough treatment. He didn’t stop until the robes were in tatters; completely unrecognisable as garments. They were only going to be incinerated anyway, he thought; although he felt a little calmer as he dropped them on the floor and headed towards the bathroom. Once he was clean and in fresh clothing, he’d show that skinny upstart Hux. He’d show them all that he was worthy of being the Supreme Leader’s apprentice.

 

****

 

Hux’s own quarters were a few doors away from Kylo Ren’s but he still wished for more distance. Most of the cadets slept in dormitories with only a select few being allowed quarters of their own – squad leaders for example, and Hux...and now Kylo Ren; the Supreme Leader’s pet.

Even though Hux had expected something more than the lanky, large-eared caricature of a boy that had arrived in the shuttle less than thirty minutes before, there was something about the boy that unsettled him. It wasn’t the fact that Kylo Ren was a Force user – most of the cadets would be nervous of that but Hux didn’t much care about the boy’s supposed magical powers. It was the feeling Hux had that he somehow _knew_ who this boy was. They’d never met – he was sure of that – and his eidetic memory would have recalled seeing his image before.

Sitting at his own desk, Hux pulled out his data pad and immediately drew up all of the communications the First Order had intercepted from the Republic pertaining to a missing Jedi. It wasn’t information a cadet was supposed to have access to but he was clever and had found out how to hack into the main archives years ago.

There were Galaxy-wide bulletins for missing persons, but Hux’s initial search turned up nothing for a Padawan. There were several for a young boy fitting a vague description of Kylo Ren and some for a stolen shuttle, but the thing that caught his eye wasn’t a missing person’s bulletin at all – it was a transcript of a private correspondence between Luke Skywalker and Senator Leia Organa.

Suddenly everything became clear. Not just the realisation of who Kylo Ren really was, but he also understood what the Supreme Leader had done. Setting down his data pad, Hux sat back in his chair and allowed himself a smile. The son of Leia Organa and Han Solo; nephew and Padawan of Luke Skywalker had turned to the Dark Side and joined the enemy of his family. Did the boy even know what he’d done? Did he know what a coup this was for the First Order or was he so self-centred that he’d not even considered the implications outside of his own agenda?

Either way, Hux was now in possession of some very interesting information. This kind of knowledge could destroy people; could be used to bring them to heel...and Cadet Hux was not at all beneath using it to make sure he stayed at the top.


End file.
